This (almost) daily post intends to follow up the activity changes of volcanoes all over the world. This post is written by geologist Richard Wilson who specializes in Volcano seismicity and Armand Vervaeck.Please feel free to tell us about new or changed activity if we haven't written about it. -

December 23, 2012 volcano activity

Click on this image to watch great volcano images against a blue sky !

Chilean authorities have increased the alert level of Copahue volcano when he began spewing ash on Sunday, probably as a prelude for a coming eruption.

­As the volcano is located mainly in a wilderness area, inhabitants of the closest cities have not been asked to leave the area. About 2200 people are living in villages, small towns and settlements in the area.

"The intensity of seismic signals suggests the eruption in progress is on the smaller side (but) we are not ruling out the possibility that the activity could turn into a larger-scale eruption," the Geology and Mining Service said in a statement.

Copahue volcano is a border volcano (Argentina / Chile). If the eruption would increase, air traffic may be hurt seriously the coming days. The area has mostly westward winds in which case Argentine air traffic may be hurt.
The summit of Copahue volcano is 2965 m high.

Update : Onemi Chile reports that the intensity of the eruption has decreased and calls it so far a "minor eruption". NO evacuation has been lanned.

Update Dec. 25 - 10:36 UTC : The Onemi alert has been decreased from RED to ORANGE, confirming the decreased activity of the volcano.

A video explains more than 1000 words. Take a look at the end of the video at the huge hot volcanic bombs.

Rodger is out having a Christmas vacation and we unfortunately missed the early signs of an eruption.

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